Multipiece poultry wing receiving wheel and method

Abstract

A poultry wing receiving wheel is formed in three separable wheel segments, each of which have peripheral teeth which are aligned when such three segments are assembled so as to collectively form a plurality of circumferentially spaced poultry wing receiving troughs. By separably assembling the three wheel segments, fabrication is simplified and replacement costs are greatly reduced by permitting replacement of only the wheel segment which has worn or damaged peripheral teeth, i.e., the assembled wheel is to a degree rendered repairable. The assembled wheel may be uaed with a conventional apparatus for cutting apart poultry wings. The central most of the three wheel segments may be provided with an integral keyway for mounting on a drive shaft of such a conventional poultry wing cutting machine, with the two remaining segments axially aligned and bolted to such middle wheel segment on each axial side thereof. Antibacterial compounds such as RTV silicon may be applie between the wheel segments and stainless steel bolts may be used to reversibly assemble the wheel segments comprising manmade materials such as thermoplastics, for example nylon.